Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 21
न्यासत्रैविध्य-भूतशुद्धि-प्रक्रिया
Threefold Nyāsa and the Procedure of Elemental Purification
अथ यस्यास्त्यवसरो नास्ति वा मतिविभ्रमः । स विस्तीर्णेन कल्पेन न्यासकर्म समाचरेत् । तत्राद्यो मातृकान्यासो ब्रह्मन्यासस्ततः परः । तृतीयः प्रणवन्यासो हंसन्यासस्तदुत्तरः
atha yasyāstyavasaro nāsti vā mativibhramaḥ | sa vistīrṇena kalpena nyāsakarma samācaret | tatrādyo mātṛkānyāso brahmanyāsastataḥ paraḥ | tṛtīyaḥ praṇavanyāso haṃsanyāsastaduttaraḥ
Now, if someone has the time and opportunity—or if there is confusion in the mind—he should perform the rite of nyāsa according to the expanded procedure. In that method, first comes Mātṛkā-nyāsa; next is Brahma-nyāsa. Third is Praṇava-nyāsa, and after that comes Haṃsa-nyāsa.
Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s ritual teachings within the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā context)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa
Mantra: oṃ (praṇava); haṃsa/so’ham (haṃsa-mantra)
Role: teaching
FAQs
It teaches that when one has sufficient time—or when the mind is unsettled—one should adopt the expanded nyāsa, systematically installing mantra-śakti in the body so the worship becomes inwardly aligned to Pati (Śiva) and the bonds (pāśa) loosen through disciplined awareness.
Nyāsa prepares the devotee’s body-mind as a purified seat for Saguna Śiva worship (including Liṅga-pūjā), so external offerings are matched by internal consecration—mantra and consciousness becoming fit to approach Śiva’s grace.
It prescribes a detailed nyāsa sequence—Mātṛkā-nyāsa, Brahma-nyāsa, Praṇava-nyāsa, and Haṃsa-nyāsa—combining mantra-installation with prāṇa-awareness (haṃsa/so’ham) to stabilize concentration before worship.